Assembly machine



R. M. WEIGEL ASSEMBLY MACHINE May 5, 1 964 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 18, 1962 INVENTOR P08661 M Wf/fz,

AGENT May` 5, 1964 R. M. wElGEL ASSEMBLY MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 18, 1962 a W mw M T wm m W MM. r mi Q E ma Qu United States Patent 3,131,464 ASSEMBLY MAC Robert M. Weigel, Seattle, Wash., assigner to The Boeing Company, Seattle, Wash., a corporation ot Delaware Fiied @et 1S, 1962, Ser. No. 231,333 Claims. (Si. 29-203) This invention rela-tes to -an assembly machine, and more particular to an assembly machine for aligning and inserting contacts into la connector such that the contacts are easily indexed and accurately placed to assure circuit integrity and constant contact reliability.

Indexing and yinserting of contacts into a connector is presently done primarily by hand. Past experience has shown that an insertion path perpendicular to the connector end face is required to produce constant contact reliability, i.e., pre-vent bending of contact and the elimination of seal web damage. The present hand operation does not provide `for ease of indexing and constant perpendicular contact insertion or .control of the depth and rforce of insertion.

Much edort has gone into developing more efficient means of indexing and more eitective methods of inserting the contacts, even -to the use of expensive taped programming and tooling systems requiring protective devices which create a problem of obtaining experienced operators.

The instant invention has overcome the above Vmentioned disadvantages of the present known methods by providing a low cost machine that (-1) is capable of accepting, indexing, and retaining any type of removable contact connector; (2) is capable of very accurate indexing of connector or insertion tool easily and quickly in any order; (3) can be actuated manually, semi-manually, or automaticaliy with a camming master tempiate; and (4) provides constant perpendicular contact insertion.

Broadly, the machine constitutes a master template and lan indexing means comprising a first chuck and an .indexing pin interconnected through an exaggerating pantog'raph. A second chuck is mounted .for movement along its axis with `the two chucks being oriented such that their axes remain parallel when the position of the first chuck is shifted by the action of the .pan-tograph as the indexing pin is located in the various openings in the master template. A connector element and a contact insertion tool vare mounted in said chucks to effect the assembly operation due to their relative Amotion as the second chuck is moved `forward on its axis. While the operation may be either manual, semi-manual or completely automatic with proper control means, the mechanism assures that the contacts will `always be inserted perpendicularly to the connector end face.

An object of the invention is to provide a device for inserting elements into a receiver.

A further object of the invention is to provide a means for quick and accurate alignment of assembly elements.

Another object of the invention is to provide a devi for inserting contacts perpendicularly into a connector end face.

Another object of the invention is to utilize an exaggerating pantograph to magnify accuracy of indexing and maintain parallelism for perpendicular matching of assembiy elements. i

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for inserting contacts perpendicnlarly into a connector end `face on -a consistent insertion path which produces constant contact integrity.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device .for inserting contacts into a connector end face on a perpendicular insertion path which produces constant ice contact reliability that can be operated economically and effectively either manually, semi-manually lor vautomatically.

'Ihesewand other objects of .the Vinvention not specitically set forth above will become readily .apparent from :the accompanying description and drawings in which:

PIG. 1 is an isometric view of one embodiment of the invention;

HG. 2 is an isometric view of another .embodiment of the invention; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 show embodiments of the master template.

Referring t-o B1G. 1 :the device is positioned on a work tabie or bench 1 and :comprises template Aholder 2 secured to work table 1 by means suchas studs 3. Removably attached to template holder 2 is -a master template 4 having therein a plurality of index openings 5. Secured to work table 1 by studs 6 is .an exaggerating pantograph consisting of linkage and lever means and generally indicated at 7. Exaggerating pantograph '7 comprises a support having upright portions 8, a iirst pair of linkage means 9 pivotably mounted at one end yon shaft 1t) which extends through uprights 8. A second pair of linkage means 111 is pivotably attached to the other end of linkage means 9 by -a shaft 12 which extends through the ends of linkage means 9 and 11. A spring loaded indexing in 13 is slidably mounted in the other ends of linkage means il.. Spring loaded indein'ng pin 13 'is ladapted to engage index Iopenings 5 in master template 4. A pair of lever means 14 is pivotable mounted at one end thereof to linkage means l9. A control shaft 15' is Y attached through the other end of lever means 14. A third pair or" linkage means 16v is pivotably mounted `at one end on control shaft 15 'and at the other end on linkage means 11. Control shaft 15 is secured at one end to a vertical reference stabilizer 17 operatively attached to table 1 at 13 which allowsshaft 1'5 to move up and down or sidewise but prevents said 'shaft Afrom rotating. A chuck 19 is operatively attached t'o the end of shaft 15 opposite stabilizer 17, 4said chuck being designed to hold a Vreceiver unit such as connector Zit which has an end face 2l. Y Secured to Work ltable '1 by studs 22 is a tool chuck holder 2.3. Chuck holder 23 is provided with an aperture extending therethrough within which shaft y2d passes. Operatively `connected to one end of shaft 52d is insertion tool chuck 25 which holds tool 25, said tool 25 being designed to hold an element such as contact '25 for insertion into connector 2t? on a plane perpendicular to end Iface 2i. The'cnd oi' shaft 2d opposite to chuck 25 is threaded to provide `for movement of depth adjusting nuts 27. Said depth adjusting nuts determines the depth of insertion of contact 26 into connector 20. Operatively attached to the threaded end of shaft 24 is a link 2S' interconnect-ing shaft 214i with an insertion llever 29 which is piVo-tably mounted at one end on work table l.

As stated above, accuracy is required in inserting contracts into Athe connector and with the prior art hand operation as speed increases .accuracy decreases. Thus with the machine of FIG. 1 accuracy and speed is increased and the machine docs not require an experienced operator. VFor each type of connector required, the holes on end face 21 are provided with small numbers to indicate the type cont-act to be inserted thus creating a problem in reading these smal-l numbers. Therefore, a master template 4 is designedfor each type connector and numbers are placed at each of the index openings 5 on the template to correspond with the numbers on the connector. The numbers on the template being much larger than those on the connector, exaggerated proportionate to pantograph, thus making them easy for the operator to read.

In operation of the FlG. 1 device, the operator merely inserts indexing pin i3 of the exaggerating pantograph 7 into the desired index opening 5 of master template 4. Movement of indexing pin 13 on template 4 causes a corresponding movement of connector chuck 19 to the desired location where a contact 26 is inserted thereinto by movement of lever 29, thus providing an eicient and elective method of inserting the contact into end tace 21 in a constant perpendicular path.

Referring now now to the LFIG. 2 embodiment, the elements corresponding to those of FIG. 1 have been numbered accordingly. The primary diierence between the FIG. 1 .and FIG. 2 devices is that in lFIG. 2, connector chuck 19 is secured to Work table 1 by holder Sti and studs y3l while insertion tool chuck 25 is rotatably attached to exaggerating pantograph 7 and axially movable by lever 29. In FIG. 2, tool chuck y2,5 is attached to one `end of shaft 32 which is operatively attached to lever means 14 of pantograph 7 for movement therewith. The other end of shaft 32 is threaded and provided with depth adjusting nuts 27. Lever Z9 is pivotably mounted on a ange 33 extending `from -lever means 1li and is operatively connected to shaft 32 by link 2S, whereby movement of lever 29 actuates tool chuck 2S as in the operation of the FIG. 1 device described above.

In operation of the FIG. 2 device, the operator positions indexing pin 13 in .the desired index opening 5 of master template 4 which causes corresponding movement of tool chuck 25 through pantograph 7, thereby aligning chuck -25 with the desired hole in connector 2t). Movement of lever 29 by the operator moves chuck 25 axially to insert cont-act 26 into connector 29, the depth of insertion being determined by adjusting nuts 27.

Manual axial movement of tool chuck 2.5 in either the FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 device can be replaced with power actuated means generally indicated by power actuator 34 which can -be controlled by any well known electric, pneumatic or hydraulic system.

`FIGS. 3 and 4 are two embodiments of master templates which constitute a plurality of openings set in a pattern corresponding to the desired positioning of contacts in the connector. -For example, the operator would begin by placing the indexing pin in the opening of the template marked 1 and insert contact by lever 29 and subsequently move the indexing pin to each of the openings as numbered on the template and insert the desired contact in each of the corresponding holes of the connector. The openings of the templates of FIGS. 3 and 4 are interconnected by grooves to aid the operator in moving the indexing pin through the sequence. However, such grooves merely aid in increasing the operation speed and are there-fore not necessary.

While the Itemplates shown utilize -a circular pattern, any pattern can be used -to carry out the desired sequence of inserting the contacts into the connector. The pattern used will be determined by the number, size and location of the contacts to be inserted.

While not shown, a full automa-tic'system Ifor operating the index-ing pin 13 and tool chuck 25 is within the skill of those nfamiliar with the art. For example, initial movement of pin 13- would close a circuit to a magazine loading circuit vfor contact chuck 25 which upon completion of loading would energize a switch to operate power actuator 34 to move chuck Z5 axially to insert contact 26 into connector 20. Means -actuated by a predetermined movement of depth adjusting nuts 27 or other moveable units would reverse power actuator 34 and serially actuate means to move indexing pin 13 to the next opening in the master template, whereby the cycle will begin again.

It has thus been shown that lthe instant invention overcomes the drawbacks of the .previous known methods of inserting contacts into la conductor while providing lan eliicient and etecti've device for inserting the contacts on a constant perpendicular path with respect to the end face of the conductor, thereby producing constant contact reliability.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes `and modications may be made without departing from the invention and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that corne within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What, I claim is:

1. A device for aligning and inserting elements into a receiver comprising: means adapted for holding a receiver, means adapted for holding at least one element, exaggerating means for aligning said rst and second named means in a predetermined position with respect to one another, yand means adapted for perpendicularly inserting the element into an end face of the receiver.

2. A device as defined in claim l wherein said exaggerating means includes a master template and a pantograph having indexing means operatively positioned with respect to said master template.

' 3. A device as deiined in claim 1 wherein said element holding means is moved axially by said last named means when said element is inserted into the receiver.

4. A device as dened in claim l wherein said last named means includes adjustable means for determining the depth of insertion of said element into said receiver.

5. A device for inserting elements into a receiver unit comprising: master template means having a plurality of index openings, an exaggerating pantograph including an indexing pin means, receiver unit holding means, element holding me-ans adapted for holding at ieast one of the elements, means tor axially moving said element holding means, whereby positioning of said indexing -pin means in the desired index openings of the template means correspondingly aligns said receiver unit and said element in the desired position Ifor insertion of said element into said receiver unit.

6. A device as dened in claim 5 wherein said receiver unit holding means is positioned with respect to said element holding means in accordance with movement of said indexing pin means.

7. A device as defined in claim 5 wherein said element holding means is positioned with respect to said receiver unit holding means in accordance with movement of said indexing pinmeans.

8. A device for aligning and inserting contacts into a connector comprising: master template means having a plurality of index openings, an exaggerating pantograph inclu-ding an index-ing pin means, rst chuck means adapted for holding a connector, second chuck means adapted tor holding atleast one contact, means for axially moving said second chuck means, and means operatively connecting one of said chuck means with said exaggerating pantograph, whereby positioning of said indexing pin means in the desired index opening of the template means correspondingly aligns said iirst and second chuck means in the desired position for perpendicular insertion of a contact into an end face of a connector.

9. The device defined in claim 8 wherein said rst chuck means is positioned with respect to said second chuck means in accordance with movement of said exaggerating pantograph.

10. The device defined lin claim 8 wherein said second chuck means is positioned with respect to said rst chuck means in accordance with movement of said exaggerating pantograph.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A DEVICE FOR ALIGNING AND INSERTING ELEMENTS INTO A RECEIVER COMPRISING: MEANS ADAPTED FOR HOLDING A RECEIVER, MEANS ADAPTED FOR HOLDING AT LEAST ONE ELEMENT, EXAGGERATING MEANS FOR ALIGNING SAID FIRST AND SECOND NAMED MEANS IN A PREDETERMINED POSITION WITH RESPECT TO ONE ANOTHER, AND MEANS ADAPTED FOR PERPENDICULARLY INSERTING THE ELEMENT INTO AN END FACE OF THE RECEIVER. 